EAST PROVIDENCE — Two federal agencies — the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — went back to the sprawling building that’s home...

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Posted Aug. 22, 2013 @ 12:01 am

EAST PROVIDENCE — Two federal agencies — the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — went back to the sprawling building that’s home to the Inferno Wood Pellet company Wednesday, to continue their probe into Tuesday’s explosion and fire that injured one worker and took more than four hours to bring under control.

Authorities said they are deeming the area a crime scene, although the battalion chief at the scene on Tuesday night, Robert Jobin, said the likelihood was that the explosion in the dust-filled building was the result of a spark of some sort, perhaps from a nail that found its way into one of the company’s grinding machines.

Patrick J. Griffin, OSHA’s area director, said OSHA’s records show no prior complaints against the company at 275 Ferris Ave. Jobin, however, said that the dust-filled building can create an explosive situation and firefighters have had to visit the site frequently. Griffin said an OSHA investigator visited the scene Tuesday afternoon through 8 that night but was never able to get in because of safety concerns.

The injured worker, who was thrown 20 feet in the explosion, was released after being treated for first- and second-degree burns on Tuesday night.

RICHARD C. DUJARDIN

Correction: A previous AP story incorrectly reported the company's owner.